Just For Kids

Learning is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.~Chinese Proverb

Willapa National Wildlife Refuge is full of wildlife wonders. Hundreds of different birds gather here. Roosevelt elk live nearly everywhere in the refuge, while some animals, like the marbled murrelet, only use very old, big trees to build their nests. Giant salamanders lurk in refuge streams, along with freshwater mussels, wild salmon and tailed frogs. Tiger beetles hunt in the dunes, squirrels chatter in the trees, and rough-skinned newts travel the forest floor on wet days.

There are many ways you can explore the refuge. Come for visit or travel this website – both are chock full of interesting wildlife discoveries. Not sure where to begin? Find a few fun activities on the next page…

Birds have adaptations from their heads to their toes! Adaptations include how something is shaped or how it acts. Look through the bird species profiles to get ideas. Then, draw a picture of your unique bird. What shape is its bill? What do its feet look like? How big is it? Where does it live? What does it eat and how? Don’t forget to give your bird a name.

Act like an Animal

Read some of the animal species profiles. Take turns acting like one of the animals that lives on the refuge. Don’t tell the rest of the group what animal you are – have them guess instead! Whoever guesses the correct animals gets to go next.

Create a Naturalist Journal

Naturalists, people who study nature, and explorers take careful notes and drawings of the things they see, hear, smell and experience. Go outside today and start your own Naturalist Journal. Explore a small area of your backyard, or visit a local park, refuge or sanctuary to make observations. Write down what colors you see, what things smell like, and how you are feeling. Draw or take pictures so you can identify unknown plants or animals later. Don’t forget to note the date, time, location, and weather. Visit the Wildlife and Habitat section to help you identify plants and animals that live in Willapa National Wildlife Refuge.